911 call in murder case of elderly Irishman lead police to wrong house

Police investigating the murder of Sligo man Eugene Gillespie have said they received an anonymous tip off last Thursday about a man tied up in a house with a brown gate.

Last Friday evening, 67-year-old Eugene Gillespie was found by his brother and nephew lying unconscious in the hallway of his home, at Old Market Street in Sligo town, with his hands tied behind his back. His home was around 328 feet from the town's Garda station.

The former shopkeeper died on Saturday at Sligo General Hospital from injuries he sustained during an aggravated burglary.

Police have said they received a call on Thursday which prompted them to go a house with a brown gate in the town where they “satisfied themselves that there was nothing untoward.”

Police confirmed Gillespie’s home was not the one checked but refused to say if the house they checked was on the same street.

They are now attempting to identify the anonymous caller as part of their investigation.

A Garda spokesperson told the Sligo Champion: "This phone call is forming part of the Garda investigation into the death of Eugene Gillespie and gardai are liaising with phone companies in efforts to identify the caller."

According to the Irish Times, investigators hope that footprints and blood samples found at the scene will help track down the culprits.

In the wake of the attack, Fianna Fáil spokeswoman for older people Senator Mary White called for all elderly people to be given personal alarms.